Annual International Summer Retreat

Every summer, in early August, CAS hosts a gathering of our international Alexander Alliance family in Northern New Mexico. We bring together the four Directors of the Alliance training programs, as well as our trainees and graduates, and many guests, for a week-long immersion. It is open to everyone.

It is also a time to share with Alexander Teachers from other traditions and orientations. We all learn from each other, recognizing our common base and enjoying our diversity.

Due to the ATCongress 2018, we will not be hosting our annual summer retreat, so that our students and faculty can attend the Congress. We will be back summer 2019!

This year we will also be beginning our new graduate program, Mentoring Trainers, designed to train experienced Alexander Teachers to become the next generation of Contemporary Alexander Teacher Trainers. The graduate course runs from Thursday July 27 – Sunday August 6, 2017 at Synergia Ranch. Please visit the retreat website for more details.

This is the highlight of our year, our ‘family reunion’. It is our chance to share the Work with trainees from all of the Alliance schools and their families from around the world.

Everyone, and their family, is welcome to join us – whether it is your first experience with the Work, or you have been studying for decades.

There is a kid’s camp, a part-time study/travel option, and plenty of time sharing stories around the camp-fire under an amazing New Mexico sky. All classes are translated into Japanese and German, at least, so our international family can be together easily.

Don’t want to study all day? The Explorers option is perfect for you!

There is also a travel/study option for those who would like to enrich their experience by taking advantage of being in the glorious Northern NM landscape and culture. The “Explorers“, as they are known, study with us in the mornings, explore some facit of New Mexico in the afternoons, and the evenings are either spent playing Alexander Games, discussions around the fire, or dancing with the group, or going to the world-renowned Santa Fe Opera. (Reserve your tickets early!). Some of the afternoons are spent at our renowned museums, visiting local Native American reservations, or hiking thru the stunning local landscape.

Our core summer teaching team – Robyn, Bruce, Midori, and Sakiko – have been studying and teaching together for over 20 years throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, and collectively have over 120 years of teaching experience. We are peers and family, and this is our opportunity to continue learning from each other.

Robyn

Midori

Bruce

Sakiko

We have developed a unique “team-teaching” pedagogy that allows for improvisation, inspiration, and fun. It is student-inspired, allowing us to meet each student’s needs inside of a group experience so that everyone can learn from everyone. We work together as a teaching team, inside of every class. We study with each other. We play with each other. Together, we come up with new questions and unique solutions. We are just wiser when we are together than when we are alone, and it is this collective wisdom that we pass on to you.